What stands out worked out from the figures below

Andover has the most people working from home (30.4%).

Pawtucket has the most affordable homes ($326k median).

What matters to you?

Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Andover	Pawtucket
People
Population	36,652Lowest	75,893Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+10.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+6.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	42.9±1Highest 10% above U.S.	37.1±0.8Lowest 5% below U.S.
Kids under 18	23.6%±1.8Highest U.S.: 22%	22.4%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Andover and Pawtucket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	16%±1.3Highest U.S.: 17.2%	14.5%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Andover and Pawtucket are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	75.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	22.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	8.1%±0.8Highest U.S.: 6.4%	5.6%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$172,606±$16kHighest 114% above U.S.	$68,310±$4kLowest 15% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$855,600±$22kHighest 157% above U.S.	$325,500±$8kLowest about the U.S. average
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,201±$129Highest 56% above U.S.	$1,208±$39Lowest 15% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S.	$4,115Lowest 32% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	39.7%±7.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	45.9%±4.4Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Pawtucket and Andover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	2.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	13.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	79.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	50.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1973Highest 7 yrs older than U.S.	1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	29 minHighest 10% above U.S.	26 minLowest 3% below U.S.
Work from home	30.4%±2.1Highest U.S.: 15.1%	9.2%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#68 of 282 in MA	#35 of 38 in RI
School district	Andover · Greater Lawrence Regional Vocational Technical	Blackstone Academy · Pawtucket
High school in town	Gr Lawrence Regional Vocational Technical	William E. Tolman High
Students per teacherat that high school	12.8Lowest	14.6Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

U.S. average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.